Jacob heekimeb



(No Model.)

J-.,.- HERKIMER.

LAMPING SLQDE POR STRAPS.

No. 299,540. PatQntedJu-ne 3, 1884..

UNITED 'STATES PATENT Enron.

JACOB HERKIMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT V. STANLEY, OF lSAME PLACE.

CLAlVlPlNG-SLIDE, FOR STRAPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,540, dated June 3, 1884.

Application filed March 27. 1884. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, .TAooB HERKIMER, of

Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in kClamping-Slides for Straps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of fastenings for making attachments to straps or strips of leather or other material in which the fastening is effected by the operation of a roller, movable inl an inclined direction with reference to an opposing part, between which roller and opposing part the strap or strip is pressed and clamped. For convenience, such fastening devices may be termed slides The invention herein described consists in certain features of improved construction in such slides, by which the clamping action is rendered more prompt, certain, and reliable, as

will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the appended claims.

For the 'purpose of illustration, the inveni tion is herein shown in its application to slides for driving-reins of harness. In two figures it is displayed in an adjustable button-formed l slide for such reins, and in other figures it is shown in form adapted for the adjustable attachment of hand-loops to reins,- button-pieces to suspenders, or one strap to another.

The appended claims embrace clauses particularly relating to the indicated construction of an adjustable rein-b`uttn77 containing'my invention; but in its general features the invention is not restricted to reins, nor to any other particular application or use thereof.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a button-formed slide containing myinvention, applied to a strap or strip as a drivingrein. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the invention applied to an adjustable slide suitable for the attachment of one strap to another` as, for example, a hand-loop to a driving-rein, or a branch strap to a suspender. Fig. 4 is a 5o central longitudinal section of the form of de vice shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the slide of Fig. 3 inverted, and illustrating one feature of my improvement-to wit, corrugations in the inclined walls of the slot for the clamproller-enlarged clamp-rollers corrugated to engage with, the corrugations of the slot of the slide.

The same letter indicates the same part in all figures of the drawings.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the slide A is shown in cylindric form and as formed of the three pieces C, C, and D-the aperture A', for the passage of the strap B and for the accommodation of the clamp-roller E, being pro vided between the pieces C and C. In this particular case the slide is intended or suited to serve as a button on a harness-rein, and it is so constructed as to be reversible, in order to operate as an automatic clamp, into either end of which the strap or rein may be inserted. The parts C and C may be of wood, parti-cylindric in their middle portion, and rounded at their ends, as shown. The part D in that case is a sheet-metal band or shell, to the in-l ner opposite sides of which the parts or blocks C and C are fastened in any suitable manner, so as to afford the central space or passage, A,`between them. The shell D forms the side walls of this passage A', and in said walls are provided opposite oblique slots, d d, in which is held the clamping-roller E by means of eX- ternal flanges, e, or otherwise.

Referring next to Figs. 3 and 4, the slide A is represented as of metal and rectangular in transverse section. In said gures, also, the slide is adapted for the attachment of a sec- 'ond strap, loop, or other similar part, B', by means ofa loop or eye, a', cast or formed in the usual or any proper manner as a part of the slide-body. The side walls of the strappassage in the lslide of Figs. 8 and Y4V are provided with oblique slots'cl, in which is fitted and held the clamp-roller E, as already set forth in describing Figs. 1 and 2. The opposite walls, a2 a3, may, however, have the proper convergence to guide the roller into clamping action either with or without the slots d.

A slide having opposite and oblique or inclined slots containing a clamping-roller, or

Figs. 6 and i.7 are views of 55 IOO not new with me, and the general operation of such devices is well known. The defects in such clamping-slides as heretofore made are, first, that the roll will often fail to bite the strap, and, indeed, in some positions maynot come even into contact with the strap unless moved into such contact or clamping relation by the fingers or some special device for the purpose; second, the roller may not clamp the strap sufliciently, even if brought into bearing against the strap. Sharp longitudinal corrugations or ribs have been provided on that Surface of the roller Which bears on the strap; but if the strap is too hard such ribs fail to take effect, or, if they engage the strap, the roller may turn in the slots or slide Without advancing therein, and the strap will therefore draw through the slide. It is also a fault of the former constructions that under excessive strain ou the strap the roller Will lose its merely frictional engagement With the slots or slide and strap, and will fly back out of Working position, leaving the strap entirely free to pull through the slide, thus failing utterly of the desired effect. By my improvements, as herein shown, these defects are fully remedied.

For the purpose of insuring engagement of the strap with the clamping-roller, the Wall a" of the slide, over which the strap passes beneath the roller, is concaved, or is provided with an elevation, a, at the end toward which the roller rises or may rise when released. This elevation lifts the strap (which tends to straightness in said passage) into contact with the roller, as indicated in dotted lines in Fic". 2, so that upon proper movement of the strap said roller is drawn by the strap into clamping relation to the opposing` part a of the slide. It is apparent that by means of this construc- .tion the roller and strap will engage automatically, or Without help, no matter with which side up nor in what position the parts may be held.

For the purpose of insuring a clamping action of the roller proportionate to the strain upon the strap, or, in other Words, to avoid slipping of the strap by rotation of the roller without a corresponding advance movement of said roller in the slide, the bearing-walls of the slots d are milled or corrugated transversely, as indicated in Fig. 5, and the spindles or ends of the roller which bear on said walls of the slots are also correspondingly milled or ribbed, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 so as to engage positively with the body of the slide. The central body of the roller is preferably ribbed or rougliened where it bears upon the strap. The slots (Z are, of course, wider than the diameter of the roller or its spindles c within them. The operation of the slot and roll thus ribbed is essentially that of a rack and pinion, and draft upon the strap B ivill positively draw the roller along in the oblique slots until the limit of compression of the strap is reached, at Which point the latter isfirmly held. If the inclination of the wall a2 is relied on to guide the roller into clamping relation With the opposing wall a", the inner surface of said Wall aL will be provided With suitable ribs or serrations to engage corresponding ribs or scrrations on the body of the roller, the two constructions being understood to be equivalents for the purposes of this patent.

The two features of improvement above pointed out are not necessarily both present in the same slide. An elevation at a (or concaved inner surface of the Wall af) may be separately used to give quick, automatic, and eertain engagement of the roller with the strap, or the device of roughened surfaces on the roller and on the roller-guide of the slide may alone be employed for the sole purpose of making the clamping action more reliable. Both features are, however, desirable, and both, if together present, eoact, in that the last-mentioned feature insures movement of the roller into clamping position after the former has produced the desired engagement of the roll with the strap.

It is manifest that the particular form of the prominence a is not material.

In the rein-button shown in Figs. l and 2 the adjacent faces of the blocks C and C are preferably similar, as shown, so that the rein may be inserted at either end. Of course the entire button may be cast in a single piece Without departure from the general principles of my invention, but for the special purpose mentioned the construction shown is preferred, because of the greater lightness of the button. It is, however, manifest that the inventions herein described may be embodied in a rein button or slide of spherical or any other desired form without essential modifications.

I claim as my invention# 1. In a roller clamping-slide for straps or strips, the combination, with a roller, of a slide-body provided with a wall opposed to the roller, a guide or guides for the roller i11- clined with reference to said wall, and a prominence at a, whereby the strap is borne into engagement with the roller before the latter is brought into clamping position, all substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a roller clamping-slide, the combination, with a ribbed or serrated roller, of a slide-body provided with a wall opposed to the roller, and aroller guide or guides inclined with reference to said Wall and serrated to positively engage the roller, all substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with the wall of the slide having a prominence, a, a roller guiding surface or surfaces inclined to said Wall and provided with serrations, and a roller serrated to positively engage the serrated guiding surface or surfaces, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

4. A reversible cylindric clamp-slide hav- IOO V299,540 i g 3 Y ing a central stop-passage, side Walls provided with oblique slots, a clamping-roller Inovably retained in said slots, and two oppositely-arranged prominences at a d in the strap-passage,whereby the strap is brought into engagement with the clamp-roller, all substantially as described.

5.A The combination7 in a clamping-slide for a strap or strip, of an oppositely and obliquely slotted shell, D, a roller movably retained in the slots, and oppositely-arranged parts C and C', secured within the shell and provided with rounded ends and prominences a, allsubstantially as described.

6. rlhe combination, with a harness-rein, of I5 an adjustable clamp-button constructed with a passage for a strap having one or more proniinences7 a, a clannping-roller7 and oblique roller-guides, all substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 2o my invention I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JACOB HERKIMER.

Witnesses:

M. E. DAYTON, OLIVER E. PAGIN. 

